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Roadmap Toward a Cure From Research to Reality
Global innovations and discoveries happening on Australian shores
OUR RESEARCH APPROACH
At SpinalCure Australia, we identify, fund and promote the most promising spinal cord injury research driven by scientific evidence and breakthrough potential.
Every project we support undergoes thorough evaluation by our who are leading experts and can ensure your donations target research with the greatest chance of transforming lives.
Building a research ecosystem
By connecting brilliant minds across institutions and disciplines and fostering collaboration over competition, we are accelerating the journey from laboratory discoveries to life-changing treatments through our Roadmap Toward a Cure for Spinal Cord Injury. We know there’s no magic bullet and it’s likely a combination of approaches that will ultimately deliver full recovery.
Current Research Priorities
National SCI Patient Register
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Brain/Computer Interface
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Every research dollar brings us closer to the day when spinal cord injuries are no longer permanent.
The results we’re seeing aren’t just incremental improvements — they’re transformative breakthroughs. People who were told they’d never move again are standing. Those who lost control of basic bodily functions are regaining independence.
With continued clinical trials confirming benefits and safety, these treatments for spinal cord injury could become widely available within years, not decades.
Queensland’s quest for a cure
Prof. Marc Ruitenberg’s laboratory at The University of Queensland is harnessing cutting-edge computational approaches and big data analytics, including machine learning, to unlock new understanding of spinal cord injury – and the possibilities are mind-blowing.
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The I.Peter Farrell SpinalCure Fellowship
This $1.5 million award supports an outstanding early/mid-career researcher undertaking innovative research which takes steps towards a cure for spinal cord injury. This Fellowship is in honour of the late I.Peter Farrell. Meet the 2025 recipient, Dr. Ramon Martinez-Marmol.
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Project Spark
Project Spark is a world-class, five-year program of clinical trials and community-based studies across Australia. Launched in 2021, the objective is to test, validate and develop neurostimulation treatments for people with a spinal cord injury.
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• Brain computer interface: Bypassing the damaged area
• Pharmacological: Drugs that stimulate axonal growth or prevent degeneration
• Combination therapies: It should be noted that these ideas should not necessarily be explored in isolation but as combinations of approaches as an eventual cure is expected to require multiple interventions
• Novel approaches: It is also hoped that, with sufficient funding and the right infrastructure, novel ideas will emerge.
The Core Components of a Cure
The science behind spinal cord injury research is fascinating! Go behind the scenes at a research lab, grab your white coat and goggles and let’s explore the science in more depth.
The Core Components of a Cure
CELLS
Stem cells
can develop into every tissue in the body including spinal cord neurons.
GLIAL cells
wrap around axons of motor and sensory neurons to form the myelin sheath, which is lost after spinal cord injury.
DID YOU KNOW?
Your myelin sheath acts as insulation, similar to the plastic coating around electrical wires, keeping your nerve cells safe.
BIOMATERIALS
Scaffolds or conduits
assist new neurons to grow across the gap in the spinal cord caused by nerve death. These might also be impregnated with stem cells and/or chemical factors.
DID YOU KNOW?
Using 3-D scans, scaffolds are now being 3-D printed out of cells to exactly match the gap in a person’s damaged spinal cord.
MOLECULES & DRUGS
Essential in protecting neurons by controlling inflammation, breaking down of scar tissue and stimulating nerve regrowth.
DID YOU KNOW?
Elovanoids are highly potent molecules that are made in limited amounts, on demand, and they protect neurons from damage. Research shows they can switch off pro-inflammatory proteins and enhance the expression of protective proteins after cell injury.
NEUROSTIMULATION
One of the most exciting developments in the past two decades, neurostimulations electrically stimulates the spinal cord below the level of injury.
DID YOU KNOW?
It was in 2011 that an epidural electrical stimulator was first used on a patient to treat spinal cord injury.
Assisted exercise
Functional electrical stimulation (a therapy that uses low-level electrical impulses to activate muscles and nerves, leading to muscle contractions and movements), intensive exercise programs and the use of an exoskeleton to assist with regaining walking movement.
DID YOU KNOW?
Using an exoskeleton can help your bladder and bowel – being upright and moving stimulates the muscles that help you go to the bathroom.
YOUR GUT BIOME
A spinal cord injury severely comprises the normal gut bacteria, and can lead to poor nutrition. This can set off further inflammation, lead to a weaker immune system and an increased risk of poor mental health. Protect your gut!
DID YOU KNOW?
Your gut microbiome interacts with your brain and nervous system through the gut-brain axis, influencing various functions, including inflammation, immunity, and mood.
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